


Crawling to You

by Kevin_Mask (Nikolai_Knight)



Category: Kinnikuman
Genre: Babies, Domestic Fluff, Family Bonding, Gen, One-Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 05:11:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19419154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikolai_Knight/pseuds/Kevin_Mask
Summary: Mantaro loves his uncle more than anything. He refuses to let him go.





	Crawling to You

_‘Mantaro, stop!’_

A high-pitched gurgle echoed along the corridor. It was innocent and excited, formulating half-remember and mispronounced words, and every so often – with a surprisingly regular rhythm – a familiar mantra was uttered: _‘At, At, At’_! Ataru stopped. He turned to see a small baby racing on all fours along the red carpet that lined the hallway, while guards did double-takes and flinched as he crawled past them at a considerable speed.

Mantaro was dressed in a blue one-piece, with his little hands reaching outward. They opened and closed, as if seeking to clasp the air and hold it close, and his mouth was pulled into a bright smile that brought a blush almost visible through his mask. Ataru chuckle and knelt down, before he caught Mantaro and whisked him into a high twirl that brought loud cheers from the tiny mouth. There followed great applause. Mantaro clapped with clumsy and awkward gestures, while his legs kicked and his laughter grew louder, and Ataru laughed.

He dropped Mantaro, before catching him with both hands. Mantaro fell silent. He looked up with wide eyes, as if to say _‘you dropped me_ ’, but then the smile broke and he squealed in delight, as if to say _‘you caught me’_! Ataru pulled him into a warm embrace, pressed his nose against the tuft of hair that still held that baby smell. Mantaro gurgled and babbled in a language only he understood, while his soft hands patted at Ataru’s cheeks.

“At, At, At,” cried Mantaro.

Ataru smiled and kissed his forehead. In his peripheral vision, Bibimba ran down the hallway with pale face and panting for breath, and – with a deep bow – she stopped just before Ataru and reached instinctively for her son. Mantaro cried ‘no’. The tiny head buried itself against Ataru’s chest, as he clenched at his camouflage top and hiccupped in a manner that threatened tears, and Ataru bit his lip to hold back laughter. Bibimba sighed.

“I’m so sorry, Ataru,” said Bibimba.

“It’s fine,” laughed Ataru. “I really must go, though. Could you . . .?”

“Could I take him?” Bibimba shook her head. “The second you left the room, he chased after you and just took off as fast as he could crawl! I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately, but there’s no one else he loves so much, and he’s always crawling after his favourite uncle. Did you know he started crawling over to photographs and saying your name at them?”

“I don’t know why he likes me so much.”

“I think I know, Ataru. You’re always so excited to see him! You play with him and talk to him and listen to him . . . even when he’s saying nothing, to you he’s saying _everything_. I’ve only ever seen him shower Suguru with this level of love. He adores you.”

Bibimba reached once more for Mantaro. A loud scream pierced the air, as Mantaro tried to climb over Ataru’s shoulder to escape her hold, and – barely with enough time to grab those chubby little legs – Ataru stopped him from falling over six feet to the ground. Ataru stepped back from Bibimba while he cradled Mantaro, and Mantaro chuckled once more and waved to his mother with a loud ‘bye bye’! Bibimba placed her hands on her hips, as her lips pursed and her head dropped against her chest. Ataru stared down at Bibimba, as she asked:

“Could you watch him for an hour, please?”

He tapped Mantaro’s nose. Mantaro sneezed. Ataru laughed loud and pressed a kiss to his forehead, before he swung Mantaro around in circles at some speed, and together they laughed and cheered, as he dropped and caught Mantaro once more. He smothered the small boy with kisses, while he tickled at his sides. Mantaro’s smile was so contagious . . . _bright, wide, sincere_ . . . tears sparked at his eyes, as he cuddled him close.

“I can think of nothing better,” whispered Ataru.


End file.
